First chance this year to piss everyone off.
Last Friday Europe got the original Harvest Moon for the Super NES on their Virtual Consoles. I don't think Europe knows that this is the best game ever made, and that they need to thank their deity (who apparently doesn't wear any conspicuous religious symbols) for this blessed gift.
In other news, StarTropics and King of Fighters '94 came out today in North America. The debate may rage elsewhere, though here at the Nintendo World Report I daresay our fans in the forums will understand more why we have recommended an outdated NES adventure game over a classic, some may even say “classy" fighting game. Perhaps the debate should center on narrative, which in adventure games usually leads the player to the exploration of locations and identification with a lead character, while in a fighting game the very code that holds the story is dead weight on the disc or cartridge. Yet at the same time I could see someone defend a fighting game for allowing a more fleshed out relationship between player and character, where the movements of the player translate so directly to those of the character that they seem to be in a communication with one another. Perhaps too the debate should discuss the importance of competition in video games, where fighting games (like puzzle games) seem to center on fighting an “opponent" who is singular and often human, while adventure games often have you fighting not just enemies in a world but the world itself.
Or perhaps fighting games just suck. Tell me in our talkback thread. How wrong am I?
StarTropics
| System | Virtual Console - Nintendo Entertainment System |  |
| Cost | 500 Points | |
| Players | 1 | |
| Controllers | Wii Remote,Wii Nunchuk,GameCube | |
| ESRB Rating | Everyone | |
| Released | Dec 01, 1990 |
Click here for a video preview
This sleeper classic from Nintendo combines Zelda-ish action stages with a maze-like overworld closer to Zelda II. But StarTropics is no copycat -- it has a strange pacing and tropical style that set it apart from anything else. The quirky story has young Mike Jones searching for his uncle, Dr. "J" Jones, and things get progressively weirder as you get deeper into the game. Though not an extremely long adventure, StarTropics is challenging, crammed full of secrets, and truly unique. You'll have no problem getting five bucks' worth of playing out of it (if you get stuck, don't be ashamed to check a walkthrough).
The way Mike moves and jumps can take some time to get used to, but it starts to make more and more sense as the game's level design philosophy is revealed. StarTropics features great NES graphics and memorable music, too. The original game was packaged with a letter from Dr. J that you eventually had to dip into water for a secret code -- this feature has been cleverly recreated in the Virtual Console's built-in manual. One thing the manual doesn't explain very well is the inventory system; after pausing, press down to access Mike's magical items, including red potions and snowmen. The second boss is nearly impossible without using the latter item. Despite such confusing elements, StarTropics is a polished and unusual adventure game that holds up very well today. Take this opportunity to catch up with a classic, semi-obscure little gem of a game.
King of Fighters 94
| System | Virtual Console - NEOGEO |  |
| Cost | 900 Points | |
| Players | 2 | |
| Controllers | Wii Remote,Wii Nunchuk,GameCube | |
| ESRB Rating | Teen | |
| Released | Year 1994 |
Click here for a video preview
Full disclosure: I don't play or really like fighting games. I mean, I like the occasional Street Fighter, but only when I'm playing against someone of equal talents, by which I mean, someone who has never played a fighting game before ever.
So I drank a glass of Bailey's and spent an hour or so with King of Fighters '94. How is it different from other fighting games, as far as I can see? Well, it has a neat team system where you pick three characters instead of one, and when you die instead of just getting “another life" your character is tapped out and the next one rotates in. This adds some variety and challenge since you must know not only your character's moves, but the moves of all three of your opponents.
Other than that and the sharp music, I can't tell you what's so great about this game. It felt like a fighting game in that I pushed a lot of buttons, tried out some combos, fought to rise in the ranks, and failed. Am I willing to admit that I'm biased against fighting games? Sure. I'm also willing to state that anyone who plays this genre exclusively has some pretty messed up primary concerns in video gaming. But I'm not recommending the whole genre for fans, just any game that has you memorizing complex button combinations in order to play it competently. I got pounded into ground beef while playing this game, and there isn't much hope for me to improve. I honestly believe, or maybe it's hope, that most gamers just mash their way through fighting games. When it comes to that, King of Fighters seems mash-worthy. No cheap kills, no overpowered characters (and no interesting ones either), no sloppy level or graphical design. King of Fighters '94 is somewhat different from other fighters I've played, but not that much.
Props to VG Museum for the screenshots.
